The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for separating fine coal particles from a mixture comprising said fine coal particles and a liquid, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for separating fine coal particles from a mixture obtained from the charging main of a system for the preheating and pipeline-charging of coal particles into coke ovens.
In the pipeline charging of coal into coke ovens, coal is subjected to a preliminary particulizing and preheating operation, and the coal particles are then conveyed by a fluid medium, such as steam, through a pipeline to the coke oven. A top opening in the coke oven communicates, through a conduit called a standpipe, with a conduit called a charging main. When the preheated coal particles are charged by pipeline into the coke oven, there is discharged, from the top opening in the coke oven through the standpipe into the charging main, a mixture known as carry-over and including fine coal particles (coal fines), coke oven gas, tar and steam. Typically, a liquid called flushing liquor is directed into the standpipe, and a liquid called charging liquid is directed into the charging main to precipitate the coal fines from the gas in the discharged mixture. The resulting mixture comprising coal fines and liquid is transported from the charging main to a facility for separating and recovering the coal fines from the mixture.